Heading for Heaven (1947)

Director:

Lewis D. Collins

Writers:

Daniel Brown (play)
Lewis D. Collins (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 December 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Stuart Erwin plays a small-town real estate agent who owns much property which, for several generations...

Plot Keywords:

Three Word Title | Based On Play

Cast

Stuart Erwin	...	Henry Elkins
Glenda Farrell	...	Nora Elkins
Russ Vincent	...	Swami
Irene Ryan	...	Molly the Maid
Milburn Stone	...	Elwood Harding
George O'Hanlon	...	Alvin Ponacress
Janis Wilson	...	Janie Elkins
Ralph Hodges	...	Danny Wingate
Dick Elliott	...	Roger Wingate
Charles Williams	...	Eddie Williams
Selmer Jackson	...	Doctor
Harry Tyler	...	Professor
Ben Welden	...	Sam
Betty West	...	Lulu (as Betty Best)
Jack Del Rio	...	William W. Hunter

Runtime:

65 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:Approved (PCA #12710)

Company:

Ace Pictures Corporation

Low-Grade Entertainment, Obviously Intended For Those Devotees Of Stu Erwin's Movie Persona.

Stu Erwin's career is based largely upon his portrayals of a number of small-town based characters whose genial nature overrides their native inadequacies when faced with misfortune and the vagaries of chance, both being in the mix for this lacklustre production. Here Erwin plays as Henry Elkins, a realtor in the community of Elkinsville and also owner of a large piece of property within the town's east side, a district boosted (as shown through flashbacks) by the father and grandfather of Henry to be the most promising region for commercial development of the town, a witless prediction as the most desirable neighbourhoods have shifted westward, while Henry haplessly waits for his acreage to advance in value. Plot contrivances propel events in awkward fashion as various swindlers become interested in buying the supposedly useless Elkins land, because of an ostensible plan to construct an airport upon the location. Henry, after receiving a physical examination required for a life insurance policy, overhears his physician describing to a nurse the drastically poor condition of another patient who has little time left to live and, believing that he is the subject under discussion, alters his behaviour towards his wife (Glenda Farrell) and those about him, while deciding to dispose of his property so that buyers may build the airport, thereby financially benefiting the Elkins family. After the movie's pace begins to falter because of a surfeit of sentimental whimsy, a bevy of greedy and manipulative scoundrels provides reasons for Henry to leave off a decline toward self-pity, moving instead to protect his family's economic situation. The storyline material tends to include an overage of threads for competent handling by those personnel in place, although some scenes are redeemed due to acting efforts of Erwin and Farrell, the latter winning performance laurels here as Henry's patiently forbearing wife. An archetypal vehicle for Erwin's hangdog acting style, it has been a very difficult film to locate as a VHS release but has become available through Alpha Video in DVD format that, as is the company's customary mode, offers no extras. The Alpha print is below standard, having frequent jumps and elisions, and lacking needed editing.